Apparatus for modeling and decorating.



Patented Oct. 7, I902.

M. B. CHURCH.

APPARATUS FOR MODELING AND DECORATING.

(Applieatiolg filed Mar. 2, 1899.

2 SheetsSheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 7|0,842. Patented Oct. 7, I902.

M. B. CHURCH.

APPARATUS FOR MODELING AND DECORATING.

(Application filed Mar. 2, 1899.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

Tu: uonms PETERS do motuumou WASHINGTON. 0 c4 UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN BATOHLOR CHURCH, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

APPARATUS FOR MODELING AND DECORATING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,842, dated October 7, 1902.

Application filed March 2. 1899.

To (1 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MELVIN BATCHLOR CHURCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Modeling and Decorating, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an apparatus designed to be used in modeling, decorating, and otherwise working in plastic material, principally in the modeling or production of free-hand relief decorations on walls, ceilings, and other surfaces. It may be also used under other conditions or circumstances which involve the laying of a thick plastic material on any kind of surface.

The general feature of the operation in which my invention is used consists in fore ing the plastic material by means of forcing apparatus which may be stationary during the operation, the material being forced through a flexible hose and through a forming-nozzle at its end held and guided by the hand of the operator, the said nozzle being directed by the operator in the formation of the figures and the material being constantly delivered through the nozzle, but under the control of the operator.

The application of plastic material (such as calcined gypsum) in the form of a stream forced through a nozzle and laid upon the wall or other surface to be decorated is subject to some peculiar conditions. The stream forced from the nozzle must be continuous and the pressure uniform or slightly increasing at the end of the operation for emptying the chamber containing the plastic material. Further, the flow of the material through the applying-nozzle must be under the control of the operator. In order that the stream may becontinuous, the material in the reservoir must be practically free from air. To maintain this uniform pressure controllable at the will of the operator, I have found that the pressure upon the material must be positive. I have found also that for the best results in uniformity of flow of the applied stream of plastic material the tube through which it is applied should be non-expansive.

The application of the material to walls and other surfaces as a matter of course requires a flexible tube with an applying-nozzle at the Serial No. 707,539. (No modelend thereof and free movement of the hand of the operator and a free but variable and. controllable flow of the material. To provide for this, I have invented a form of nozzle especially adapted to the purpose. My invention designed to fulfil the conditions of this work includes a cylinder or equivalent chamber adapted to contain the plastic or similar material under pressure, with means for applying positive pressure to said material and with a flexible pipe having a suitable nozzle connected with said chamber, so that the material may be forced through the said pipe or nozzle.

The details of the invention are further more fully set forth hereinafter and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete device. Fig.2 is a detail sectional view of the pressure mechanism .for the piston-feeding screw. Fig.3,is a detail sectional view of the cylinder and piston-head. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the squeezing-rolls. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the nozzle. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the same. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the plug, taken from opposite sides thereof. Fig.9 isa cross-sectional view of the plug, and Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional views of the valvescasing.

In the drawings the chamber in which the plastic material is placed is represented as in the form of a cylinder A. This is the most convenient, but is not an essential form. It should be of such strength as to withstand internal pressure of at least three hundred pounds to the square inch. That end in which the piston is inserted is left open. The piston fits snugly in the cylinder, but is made without packing and. not air-tight under pressure. I have discovered in operating this kind of machine that with an air-tight working piston an amount of air will be forced along by the piston to such an vextent as to materially interfere at times with the continuous discharge of a full stream from the nozzle and that without-packing the piston may be made close fitting enough to prevent the escape backward of the plastic material. For this purpose, therefore, I use a somewhatelongated unpacked piston B of substantially the proportions shown and fitted to admit the backward passage of the air under pressure applied by the piston to the material in front of it, but opposing the return of the material. The piston is provided with grooves a about one-half inch wide and three-sixteenths of an inch deep, and the plastic material is forced into these grooves in operation in working with this material, and this makes more effective the operation. The pressure first fills one groove and sometimes, according to the consistency of the material, fills the second groove also, and the material becomes dry and sets, making a very effective stop for the flow of the material backward.

Supposing the cylinder to be filled with the material except a space at the open rear end, the piston is inserted and pushed forward, necessarily inclosing an amount of air. As heretofore stated, a positive pressure is required to force the piston against the material. The material for which the apparatus is mainly designed is a composition in which the principal ingredient is pulverized calcined gypsum in a plastic condition endiciently thick to maintain its position in raised figures when so laid upon the wall, with which sufiicient glue is used to make it adhesive. For the purpose of applying this pressure the piston is provided with a thread ed spindle 0, having a low pitch and a crank c at its rear end. .Vhen the nut through which the threaded spindle passes is held stationary, the turning of the spindle will cause the piston to advance with quickpositive motion and to press unyieldingly against the contents of the cylinder. Pressure,applied in this manner to the contents would be insufficient ordinarily for the work, and l have therefore designed other or additional means by which the laborer can apply a greater amount of pressure in the same positive manner.

If the direct action of the threaded spindle be used, as may be when the piston is first moved forward into the cylinder after the filling of said cylinder, the turning of the spindle is necessary. For this purpose the forward end of the spindle is swiveled to the head of the piston, which for convenience is made hollow. The forward end of the spindle has an annular groove, in which fits a halved plate let, held to the head by bolts 15. The end of the spindle bears directly on the head of the piston. When greater force is required, the worm-gear (shown in Fig. 2) is brought into use. For this the spindle is carried through a box P, on the inner surface of the wall of which is fixed a bearing-block q for the worm-nut 16. The clock is made in two parts, one (marked 17) being bolted to the wall and having on its face an annular groove 18 for antifriction-balls. Against this is placed the wormnut 16, threaded on the screw-spindle C. The other part 19 of the block, also provided with an annular groove for antifriction-balls, incloses tire worm-nut and holds it in place. A worm 20 on the cross'shaft s, which is turned by a crank or hand-wheel, serves when the screwspindle is held against turning to cause the piston to advance.

When the operation of the spindle with the increased power is desired, rotation of said spindle is arrested by means of a key 21,-

which moves in guides in the box and may be dropped into a spline 22 in the spindle.

The cylinder is laid in a trough in the table Q, so that when the piston is withdrawn the cylinder may be removed, as for filling. The cap of the cylinder to which the hose is attached is also removable and may be replaced by a cover when the cylinder is to be filled. X hen the discharge end is so covered, the cylinder is turned, with the open end up, and the material is settled by jolting, so as to fill all the interstices and expel the air there from. The table is supported on legs provided with casters, so that it may be moved readily as the work progresses.

After a charge has been used it is necessary to clean the hose and other parts before the material'sets. For this purpose I have provided a pair of squeeze-rollers on the frame. I have made them tapering, as shown in Fig. 2, for the purpose of applying lighter and then heavier pressure.

The rollers are marked 25, and the handle for turning them 26. Handles 27 are applied to the frame for facilitating the movement.

To the front end of the cylinder is fixed a cap E, preferably detachable, having a conical reduced discharge projection, to the end of which is attached a hose. It will be understood that. the apparatus rests upon the floor on any suitable support, and the material is to be applied to the wall or ceiling, so that the nozzle which is used directly in the application of the material may be freely movable at a considerable distance fromthe forcing apparatus. For conveying the plastic material therefrom from the forcing-chamber to the nozzle I use a flexible hose F. While this hose must be flexible, so that the nozzle may be moved freely about while the operator is laying the material upon the walls or ceiling, the conditions require that this hose should be non-expansible, and yet adapted to be compressed to expel the material for cleaning. 1 have found a rubber-lined braided hose most suitable for the purpose. The material in the hose is of course under pressure, and any expansion of the hose due to elasticity of the material would vary the pressure at the nozzle and impair the positiveness of the discharge. I therefore use a non-expansible hose, so that the original positiveness of movement imparted to the material-is maintained throughout its movement to the discharge. This I have found to be practicable, nstanding the fact that the stream of notwr the material forced from the nozzle by pressure applied behind the whole mass at the forcing apparatus must be often diminished and checked sometimes wholly. Bypractical operation I have found that the plastic material used in this apparatus has sufficient elasticity to relieve the positive forcing apparatus and the hose and prevents any injurious shock.

The nozzle for the work of laying the material upon the wall without causing the hose to kink requires that it be'swiveled thereon, and in order that it may freely turn under pressure of the plastic adhesive material I have provided a special form of swivel. This consists of a hollow stem G, the part 1 of which is adapted to be connected with the hose. Beyond this is affixed collar 2, fitted to an enlarged chamber 3 in the rear of the nozzle. The other end of the stem G fits in the hollow extension of the nozzle and may turn therein. It is in length about three times its diameter, and the stem is held in place by an annular nut, with exterior threads engaging with interior threads on the wall of the chamber 3 and bearing on the collar 2. The stem is preferably and for convenience of construction made separate from the valve-chamber I. This is made in two parts t and 5 for convenience of construction, the parts being held together by screws 6. The hole from the rear into the valve-seat may be round, but the passage through the valve is made of special form to meet the special conditions. The work requires that the flow of the material should be completely under the control of the operator, who grasps the nozzle in his hand, and the valve which con trols the flow must be manipulated by the thumb and finger. Under such circumstances large sweep of movement is not possible and should be limited, and the conditions require quick change in the size of the valve-passage, with very little movement of the valve. The sluggishness of the plastic or semiliquid material in its movement through small passages and the difficulty in forcing it through narrow passages have compelled me to invent a special form of valvepassage.

The valve is shown at H. It is of the ordinary cylindrical form and turns in a corresponding seat in the valve-block I. A stud S on the head-flange 9 moves in a cutaway portion of the block, which limits the movement of the valves rotation. The squared shank of the valve receives a lever 10, which is held by a nut 11. A spring 12 holds the valve closed. Pressure with the thumb on one end of the lever or pulling by the finger on the other against the spring will turn the valve more or less, according to the amount of pressure to open the valve. The orifice for ingress to the valve-seat is made round to correspond with the hose, and this enters an enlarged chamber or cut-away portion of the valve on the rear side, said cut-away portions being made as large a practicable to receive most readily the stream of material. The walls of the enlarged or cut-away part of the valve converge to the rectangular opening12 in the forward side of the valve. This opening corresponds with the opening on that side of the valve-seat, the two registering exactly when the valve is in an open position. The rear opening in the valve-seat is shown in Fig. 8, and the front in Fig. '7. WVhen, therefore, the valve is turned to open, the rectangular form of the valve-opening and the arrangement of the longer walls in planes parallel with the valve-axis cause the valve to open at once to the full lateral extent of the opening. It is therefore necessary only to turn the valve a space equal to the breadth across the passage taken across the axis of the valve to get the full opening. At the same time the round stream is made gradually to conform to this rectangular opening by the converging walls of the cavity in the rear portion, and the obstruction is minimized. The valve-opening, however, should not be greatly enlarged laterally and divergent in cross-section, as a very narrow passage greatly obstructs the flow. The proportions shown aro good. The delivery end 13 of the nozzle is made of a separate piece and is fitted to turn. Exchangable ends are provided having passages of different crosssection to correspond with the design of the work to be done. The movable partof the nozzle has ears or may be milled, by means of which it may be turned, and the stream thus may be laid fiatwise or on edge or inclined, as the making of the figures may require, without turning the nozzle or any forcing implement held in the hand. Without this swiveled discharging-tip or nozzle end it would be impossible to execute certain forms of decoration properly, as the hand or armcannot be turned completely over holding such a device and at the same time maintain the proper position of the discharge; but with the swiveled tip every variety of movement may be secured.

I claim-- 1. A machine for laying plastic material comprising a chamber for said material, a hose leading therefrom, means for applying an initial pressure to the material and supplemental means for applying a final pressure to said material, substantially as described.

2. A nozzle for laying plastic materials, having a valve with a rectangular opening in front, said opening flaring to the rear, substantially as described.

3. A nozzle for a machine for laying plastic materials, having a cylindrical valve, with a rectangular front opening, enlarged on the rear, in combination with a seat having also a rectangular opening, substantially as described.

4;. An apparatus for use with plastic material comprising a cylinder, an unpacked piston a spindle for operating the piston, a worm and gear and means for multiplying the power, substantially as described.

5. An apparatus for use with plastic material comprising a cylinder, a piston, a spindle IIO having a groove or recess, a catch for preof the hose being attached to said stem, subventing its rotation and means for multiplystantially as described. 10 ing the power, substantially as described. In testimony whereof I affix my signature 6. In the described apparatus, a forcing dein presence of two witnesses. 5 vice a flexible hose, a nozzle and a coupling MELVIN BATGHLOR CHURCH.

between the hose and nozzle comprising an Witnesses: elongated hollow stem G fitting an extension M. CLAY CHURCH, of the nozzle and swiveling therein, the end HERBERT HAIRE. 

